All right, good evening.

Welcome to the July 28th, 2025 Planning and Design Commission.

Meeting is now called to order.

Will the clerk please call the roll to establish quorum?

Thank you, Chair.

Members please unmute your microphones.

Member Lee.

Here.

Member Tao.

Here.

Member Lamas.

Is absent.

Member Naibo.

Member Caden.

Here.

Member Hernandez?

Here.

Member Macius Reed.

Here.

Member Ortiz.

Here.

Member Blunt.

Here.

Vice Chair Chase.

Here.

Member Reschke is absent.

Member Thompson is absent.

And Chair Young.

Here.

Thank you.

We have quorum.

All right.

I would like to remind members of the public in chambers that if you would like to speak on an agenda item, please turn in a speaker slip when the item begins.

You will have three minutes to speak once you are called on after the first speaker.

We will no longer accept speaker slips.

We will now proceed with today's agenda.

Please rise for the opening land acknowledgments in honor of Sacramento's Indigenous People and Tribal Lands.

To the original people of this land, the Nissanan people, the Southern Maidu Valley, and Plains Miwok, Pat Win Wintoon Peoples, and the people of the Wilton Rancheria, Sacramento's only federally recognized tribe.

May we acknowledge and honor the native people who came before us and still walk beside us today on these ancestral lands by choosing to gather together today in the active practice of acknowledgement and appreciation for Sacramento's Indigenous People's History, contributions, and lives.

Please remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

Are there any members of the public who wish to speak on the consent calendar?

I think that's our first item.

Thank you, Chair.

I have no speaker slips on the consent calendar.

Great.

Actually, for the record, there is no consent calendar on this meeting.

Oh, there isn't.

No.

You go right into public hearing public hearings.

Is there?

This is a special meeting.

Oh, because it was a got it.

Okay.

So we can just go directly into our public hearing then.

Yes, sir.

Okay, no director's report.

You do have a director's report.

Okay.

There we go.

I do a brief for director's report this evening.

Thank you, Chair.

So the city is currently working on the renewal of its pro housing designation with the state's Department of Housing and Community Development, and we are seeking public feedback.

The pro housing designation ensures the city maintains a competitive edge for the many different state funding opportunities, and it gives us an opportunity to highlight the many policies and programs that we have in place to promote housing development in our city.

Staff is seeking input on the draft application through August 15th.

And you can find more details on the city's web page.

If you just type in your browser Pro Housing City of Sacramento, you'll come directly to the page where you can be able to see materials and offer input.

And conveniently, there will be a presentation to City Council tomorrow evening.

It's item 29 on the agenda at 5 p.m.

And you can watch that presentation and learn more.

And there is a staff report associated with it.

Planning staff will give some background to the pro housing designation program and is asking counsel for authorization to submit the application and to participate in the program.

And with that, that is my director's report.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right, we'll move on to the public hearing items.

Item one is the Birchway Edmetomas Apartments Rezone P24-033.

Um are there any disclosures or recusals for this item?

Member Hernandez.

Yes, thank you.

I received an email from my representative of the applicant.

Consistent with staff report.

They requested a meeting, but I was unable to schedule the call.

Thank you.

All right, you're on.

Good evening, Commissioners.

Chair Young, my name is Jose Quintanilla, associate planner with the community development department.

The item before you is P 24033, the Birchway at Naton's apartments rezone, which is a request to construct an apartment development consisting of 378 units, ranging from one bed one bath units to three bed two-bath units, and a 165 space facility in the promenade at Natomas plan unit development.

The project site, located at 120 Promenade Circle in North Natomas, is an undeveloped 12.9 acre site zoned employment center EC50 PUD with a 2040 general plan designation of office mixed use or OMU.

The area surrounding the site is comprised of offices, multi-unit residential, hotels, restaurants, and other regional commercial services.

There is a future light rail station serving the Green Line extension planned south of the project site at the corner of Truxhole Road and Gateway Park Boulevard.

The project requires approval of the following entitlements.

A development agreement between the landowner and the city of Sacramento, a rezone from EC50 PUD to the multi-unit dwelling R3A PUD zone.

Amendments to the Promenade at Natomas Plan Unit Development Schematic Plan to designate the site for residential and park and ride uses, and an amendment to the development guidelines of the PUD to update language on residential allowances.

And a tree permit for the removal of four private protected trees and six city-owned trees.

Because of the approval of the rezone, because of the rezone and development agreement, the city code requires that all entitlements be approved at the city council.

The first entitlement is for a development agreement.

All new construction of vacant property within the North Natomas community plan area requires landowners to enter into a development agreement with or DA with the city.

The DA ensures that proposed and subsequent development on the site will happen in an orderly manner and that developers participate in the North Natoma's finance plan.

The DA previously approved for this PUD has expired, and all new developments will require the execution of a new development agreement.

The applicant requests to rezone the site to the R3A zone to allow for more flexible development of the project site.

The employment center zone limits residential development to a maximum of 25% of the PUD's EC zoned net acreage.

Staff supports the rezone because without this rezone, the proposed development would exceed this 25% residential limit threshold.

And the proposed rezone is consistent with the OMU general plan designation.

The rezone facilitates the development of underutilized vacant property at a key location in North Atomas by replace replacing the employment center zone with a more flexible zone that can better adjust to fluctuating market conditions.

The project site is located within the promenade at Natomas PUD.

The applicant requests amending the schematic plan for the proposed project.

Currently, the PUD schematic plan.

Oops, sorry about that.

Currently the PUD schematic plan designates the site for a 410,000 square foot office development and a 351 space park and ride facility.

In addition to the schematic plan amendment, the applicant proposes a PUD guidelines amendment to allow residential development consistent with the minimum density and the maximum floor area ratio allowed for the site under the general plan.

Staff supports the proposed amendments as they are consistent with the proposed with the general the existing general plan designation and will allow for greater flexibility for residential development in this PUD.

City code requires uh the fifth entitlement is for site plan and entire uh site plan and design review.

City code requires site plan and design review for all new residential developments.

The development consists of nine three-story buildings with 42 residential units each, a clubhouse building and associated amenities, two garage buildings with a total of 15 vehicle spaces, and resident amenities, including seating areas, barbecues, a dog park, common open spaces, and a pickleball court.

The project complies with all applicable development standards, except for the required maximum front yard setback of 25 feet.

Staff supports the requested deviation as the buildings are closer to the north freeway and promenade circle frontages.

The front yard of the site is located along the property's narrow gateway park boulevard frontage and currently occupied by a monument sign, identifying the project area, as well as uh some landscaping.

This area will also include this extra front yard setback area will include uh resident amenities, including a dog park and a pickleball court, providing activation at this corner.

The entire site, with the exception of the park and ride facility, will be fenced.

The project's primary access will be from a new driveway at North Freeway Boulevard.

Secondary access is available from Promenade Circle.

Emergency vehicle access or EVA is proposed between the apartment development and the park and ride facility, and between the apartments and the commercial development to the west.

The EVA between the park and ride and apartment complex will also serve as an exit-only driveway or as an exit only, exit only for vehicles.

There are seven pedestrian gates proposed on the perimeter of the project site, and the project provides a total of 648 vehicle spaces, including 165 spaces for the park and ride, and 483 spaces for the apartment development.

The 483 spaces include 123 covered spaces, 15 garage spaces, and 345 uncovered spaces.

The apartment development will utilize the park and ride spaces until Sacramento Regional Transit purchases or receives the park and ride property.

SAC RT has provided general conditions of approval detailing the requirements of the park and ride in terms of development and transferring the property from the landowner to regional transit.

Here are some elevations of the buildings.

And the final uh required entitlement is a tree permit for the removal of four private protected trees and six city trees.

The city trees proposed to be removed conflict with the required deceleration lane on North Freeway Boulevard, as shown on screen.

And the private protected trees proposed to be removed on the site conflict with the proposed location of the park and ride facility.

The applicant has provided a replacement plan that is consistent with the replacement requirements described in Sacramento City Code 12.56.060.

Notification of this project and this hearing were provided to all neighborhood associations, residents, and property owners within 500 feet of the project site.

Staff received no comments.

Staff recommends that the Planning and Design Commission pass a motion recommending City Council approve the requested entitlements.

As the proposal complies with the goals and policies of the 2040 general plan, in that the development makes use of a vacant parcel to provide much-needed housing, adjacent to future transit, creates additional four-rent housing opportunities, and creates an interconnected neighborhood with pedestrian and bicycle amenities.

Thank you.

This concludes my presentation.

The uh developer has a few words that he'd like to share with the commission.

Thank you.

Good evening, uh Commission.

My name is Randy Ackerman with Graystar.

Um I work uh as the managing director for Northern California, which encompasses the Bay Area and the Sacramento area.

I also have with me Chad Zach Scorn here.

Um he's been involved with this project for a couple of years, as have I, um, and he's been really in all the details of of all of everything that we're doing.

Uh, a quick word about Graystar.

Um, we are an international company, uh, development and investment and property management.

However, we really take pride in the local communities that we operate in, and Sacramento and the Bay Area are certainly part of that.

Uh we have another guy that uh actually lives in Sacramento and has an office here.

He's um on vacation today, so he will be part of the project as well.

His name is Gabe Gardner.

And the other thing that we uh we also manage about 4,500 units uh within the Greater Sacramento area.

We have an off several people with an office out of Roseville.

Uh with the other things that we've done recently in Sacramento, we built about 285 units at Sacramento State a couple of years a few years ago, and we plan to start a second phase of that project in the near future.

And we're also just about ready to break ground on 275 units of a similar type that you saw in Elk Grove that should come out of the ground in very near term as well.

So that's a quick overview of Graystar and answer any questions about Graystar or the company or the product or the project, anything you'd like to go.

Otherwise, we really appreciate your support of this uh wonderful project of building housing for Sacramento.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right.

Do we have any speaker slips?

Thank you, Chair.

I have no speaker slips on this item.

Okay.

Uh do we have any questions for the staff or the applicant or motions from the commission?

Commissioner Blunt.

Yes.

Uh thank you.

Um, so one thing that I was confused about when reading the staff report was regarding um parking spaces.

It mentions the park and ride, but I was trying to figure out whether or not this project actually included parking spaces for the residents and visitors.

Um, how many parking spaces are gonna be outside of the park and ride?

Like how many spots are we looking at?

Thank you for the question.

There are 483 spaces, not including the park and ride facility.

Okay.

Um that's that's great.

Um, yeah, because my concern is especially for this location.

It's you know, we're not downtown, um, so it's people are definitely gonna need vehicles until the um the light rail happens, right?

Okay, um I also am wondering about the the Kaiser Foundation health plan of all of this.

Um, so are so they're just the landowner, is that right?

Correct.

They are the current landowner.

Um so all of the responsibilities of the development agreement will be transferred over to any subsequent landowners once.

But as they are the current landowner, they are the ones that have to be the signatories on the development agreement.

Um and then Graystar is going to be managing the property or are they taking over ownership?

I'll let them answer.

Yeah, I'm happy to answer that.

Sorry, I've done this before, I should have just stayed up here.

Um so once the approvals happen, we're working through kind of the last things working closely with Kaiser.

We'll be acquiring the property and then developing it.

Um we're also act actually acting as our own general contractor.

And as I mentioned, we also do management, so we'll be managing the property as well.

Okay, um, yeah, I don't have any more questions.

I I think that this is a great project project and I support it.

So thank you.

So I have Commissioner Caden.

Thank you, Chair.

Um, I'm wondering if I this this was in the staff report to a certain extent, but I wondered if you can just kind of shed a little bit of light on how the park and ride facility came to be and and um I guess embedded in that question is there's a lot of surface parking in this part of the city, um including a huge mall across the street.

There's this um California State Division of Work Workers Compensation there that has that kind of L shape that's even more direct to the future light rail station.

Is there was there ever a conversation about, you know, um some sort of agreement with any of those existing parking lots as opposed to creating a new parking lot for the parking ride?

Um there were early conversations about whether we could on this side of Truxel be able to just utilize existing parking as the park and ride spaces, uh but that does require coordination with a different landowner who has to be cooperative related to that.

So but this site does have an obligation to provide park and ride.

So it could be in the future that the park and right expands into existing spaces to enlarge it.

That's a possibility across the street at the marketplace.

There is also an obligation for park and ride spaces, which are present.

That's my understanding.

They're up to the north.

Or is it intended that this is going to be a permanent facility?

I think the intention is for regional transit to acquire or to utilize the property long term.

Thank you.

Vice Chair Chase.

And just want to say I'm really happy to see the integration of this residential within a commercial uh area instead of the traditional, you know, separation of with great distances.

So I I think it's a I think it's good a good project in a good location.

So with that, I I do move a move for approval.

Thank you.

Have a motion for Vice Chair Chase.

Um question regarding the development timeline.

Um, what what's what's the timeline for for this project?

Yeah, I mean, generally, if everything continues to go on the path that it's on right now and seems very well lined up, we hope to break ground later.

Probably I would call it, you know, end of third quarter or beginning of fourth quarter this year, and then um it's about a two years to put it all together to build um first residents will be there maybe you know in half that time, but that's about the timeline for the development.

Yeah, how are you seeing kind of market conditions now as far as being able to just secure financing to build projects of this caliber?

Um certainly of this caliber very good.

Um we, as I mentioned, we're be starting another similar kind of project in Elk Grove that we recently closed with an investment partner in addition to co-investment with Gray Star and a construction lender, and we would look to do the same thing here.

Uh we've secured our um I can't say the name out loud, but we have our investor, uh co-investor with us, and the construction debt market is very favorable right now for us on this kind of a product with the sponsorship that we have.

So we don't anticipate that that'll be a problem as well.

We're starting to you know see activity on that front as well, and getting uh those lenders on board.

So we're very confident that we'll be able to execute in that time frame.

Great, thank you.

If there aren't any other comments, I think it's a great project.

Um it's well integrated with the community as vice chair Chase said.

So I will go ahead and second it.

All right, um, will the clerk please call roll?

Thank you, Chair.

Members please unmute your microphones, Commissioner Lee.

I, Commissioner Tao?

Commissioner Lamas is absent for this public hearing.

Commissioner Nybo?

Commissioner Caden?

Aye.

Commissioner Hernandez?

Aye.

Commissioner Macius Reed?

Aye.

Commissioner Ortiz.

Aye.

Commissioner Blunt.

Aye.

Vice Chair Chase.

Aye.

Commissioner Reschke is absent.

Commissioner Thompson?

Aye.

And Chair Young.

Aye.

Thank you.

The motion passes.

Thank you very much.

Appreciate it.

Congratulations.

All right.

Moving on to item two is the rail yard Special design District initiation, M25-005.

Matthew.

Hello.

Sure.

Oh.

Are there any disclosures or recusals for this item?

I will be recusing myself from this item.

Thank you, Commissioner Nybo.

Okay.

No one else.

Uh, let's see.

I think I think we're ready for you.

Here's my file.

It's not up here.

Do we know if the overhead works?

Um we, our office, this is item two, correct?

So I uh rail yard special sign district.

Correct.

Uh, office of the city clerk did not receive um it was attached to the staff report.

Understood.

Well, we can let me see if we want to go on a short recess, we can make that work.

Yeah.

I mean, we could also just move to item three and come back to item two.

Does that work for everybody?

Uh let's let's move on to item three.

Uh, uh independent of P2.

I think I think we need to call in Commissioner Naibo back in.

I guess what I can do is I will not ask for the movement, and then we will come.

Oh, I'm gonna go to the year, and then we'll have to go on the other end of my name.

That we'll be taking a five-minute recess.

We'll be back at six oh one.

We're gonna move on to item three, but before we start with the presentation, are there any disclosures or recusals for this item?

Okay, having them.

Deja, you're on.

Good evening, commissioners.

My name is Deja Harris, associate Planner with the community development department, and I'm here to present the Independence in Natomas project.

This item P twenty two zero four seven, Independence in Atomas, is a request to construct a one hundred and seventy unit residential development comprised of eighty-five duplex buildings on 10.8 acres located within the creekside Planned unit development in North Natomas.

The subject site is located at the corner of Northwork North Park Drive and Kinkaki Drive.

It is currently vacant and is surrounded by existing single unit residential development to the west, south, and east, and is immediately adjacent to Wild Rose Park to the north.

The site is also proximate to North Natomas Regional Park further south.

The requested entitlements for the project include the following: a rezone of 10.8 acres from single unit or duplex dwelling R1APUD zone to multi-unit dwelling R2APUD zone, tentative parcel map for condominium purposes for 170 residential units, tentative parcel map design deviation for non-standard street section, and site plan design review of a 170 unit residential development with deviations to rear yard setback and accessory building height requirements of the R2A zone.

The first requested entitlement, a rezone would change the zoning of the site from R1APUD zone to R2APD zone.

The proposed R2APUD zoning would allow multiple units on a single parcel.

The proposed zoning is consistent with the neighborhood designation in the 2040 general plan, which encourages the development of residential uses and allows a density of 17 dwelling units per net acre.

This project requires final decision by the city council because of the rezone.

Would allow would subdivide the site into 170 airspace units, allowing for individual ownership of each unit.

The tentative parcel map design deviation allows for a non-standard street section along Kankakee Drive.

The final requested entitlement is for site plan design review for the residential development.

The site features 85 duplex buildings and resident amenities, including an outdoor lounge, gym, a dog park, and a pool.

The site is designed to include pedestrian connections throughout with access to Wild Rose Park to the north.

All units are two stories in height.

Floor plan range from two to three bedrooms with two to three bathrooms, and each home provides attached garages.

Various fencing styles are proposed to surround the development, including four-foot-tall CMU walls with tubular steel fencing above and courtyard fencing with stucco walls and decorative tiling.

This project requests deviation to development standards for rear yard setbacks and accessory building height.

Staff finds the requested deviations are consistent with the purpose and intent of planning development code, and that sufficient sufficient separation between units with ample open space, landscaping, and privacy is provided, and the proposed accessory structures are compatible with the character and materials of the residential units.

Notification of this project and the hearing were provided to all neighborhood associations, residents, and property owners within 500 feet of the subject site.

Staff received comments expressing support and opposition to the project.

Comments expressing support include an appreciation for the completion of the bike trail on the eastern boundary and support of the increased residential density.

Comments expressing opposition are related to concerns about limited on-street parking and traffic concerns.

The Department of Public Works has reviewed the project comments.

The project will enhance pedestrian safety and calm traffic.

Public works staff is aware of existing congestion issues and actively conducts traffic investigations as they arise.

Staff recommends the commission pass a motion to forward a recommendation of approval to city council.

Staff finds the proposal and its density is compatible with the surrounding neighborhood.

The project also provides a high-quality architecture design that is consistent with city design guidelines.

Lastly, the project builds new housing on a vacant underutilized parcel, creating additional rental and home ownership opportunities.

This concludes my presentation, and staff and the applicant team are here.

Should you have any questions?

Thank you.

Thank you, Deja.

Clark, are there any.

Oh, is the applicant gonna provide a presentation?

No.

Okay.

Um Clark, are there any speaker slips for this item?

Thank you, Chair.

I have no speaker slips on this item.

Right.

Do we have any questions for the staff or applicant or motions from the commission?

Vice Chair Chase.

Thank you, Chair.

Uh question.

Uh Deja, you mentioned the project would be uh available for rental and home ownership.

Um could you explain the difference there?

What would how that would work?

Uh the condo map allows the site to be subdivided into 170 airspace units, and that would allow for individual ownership of each unit.

Um the applicant could choose to rent the units prior to obtaining that approval for the tentative map for condimenting purposes.

Okay, so bill to rent initially, but could be converted ownership.

Yes, that's okay.

Okay.

Thank you, Chair.

Commissioner Lee.

Yeah, just uh thank you, staff for uh and applicant for putting this together.

I just wanted to comment about the parking uh it looks like there is plenty of parking there.

Um, there were some concerns around that.

Um, one thing that I do just want to note uh in the document is that uh there's going to be an HOA that's formed.

And it looks like the CC and ours are not uh completed yet, but uh I would just encourage the city and the applicant to um when you guys form that um take a look at how the parking is managed and actually a question for staff and maybe the applicant too.

Um, will there be any restrictions on using the garage for uh something other than vehicle parking?

Or do we know or have you gotten that far yet in terms of the CCNR development?

Thank you, Commissioners for time.

Rob White, uh Lewis Plan Communities.

I'm their vice president for the local area in this project.

We've been uh working on this as you note from the application since 2022.

Thank you to staff finally getting to this point.

To answer the question, we Lewis plan to own, operate, maintain this property, even though we are condo mapping it.

There is no intention in our portfolio for us to do so uh not sell it off, etc.

So much like homecoming already that you see, both the original homecoming and the newer buildings right behind Safeway, we plan to own and manage this as part of that portfolio.

So at this point, we don't have any intention of having those kind of things in our C C and R or HOA.

Should we get to a point where we do want to actually proceed forward with the condo and do that sale?

Those uh options will actually be put into the uh HOA so that they do utilize that not as storage space but as actual real parking spaces.

So that's our intention.

Okay, got it.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Um I don't have any other concerns.

Um, happy to see more housing.

Uh, note that this was originally uh intended for single family housing and uh we're gonna be seeing duplexes here now.

And uh, you know, I keep hearing from a lot of people and from the community that uh you know that they're looking for different uh types of housings, and I'm glad to see that uh we're approving this item tonight.

So with that I yield my time.

Thank you.

Commissioner Caden.

Sorry, Commissioner, was that a motion or was that?

Oh, yes, uh, and with that I move to approve uh this item as recommended by staff.

Okay, okay.

Thanks for clarifying.

It's gonna make the motion if you weren't, but I'll all second in that case.

Got a second.

Vice Chair Chase.

Thank you, Chair.

Uh, just a quick comment.

Uh, and I will certainly uh support this project, but I'd like to ask the applicant to try to look at adding some uh color uh variations and contrast in the project and perhaps work with our uh urban uh development uh services manager.

Uh I think any time there are changes in playing could be a good opportunity to perhaps get a different color to break up the sort of the monotone of each building.

I mean the architecture I think is fine, but I would take an advantage of shifts there.

See if we can add some color just to break it up.

So thank you, Chair.

Thank you.

Okay.

I was looking at Commissioner Ortiz, it looks like she was gonna ask a question, but okay.

Um just I had a couple of questions for the applicant.

Um what went into the thinking of choosing a duplex design for um a rental rental product?

Sure.

So Lewis has been uh looking at a lot of what's going on in the housing market and trying to identify new and coming trends.

And uh, as if you know anything about Lewis, we have about 14,000 units across the state of California.

So we've done a few of these things and we've done a few uh operationally here in Nathomas.

This type of product, uh, our one of our owners, Randall Lewis, uh, thought it would might be interesting in this idea of build for rent to actually do it so that you could get the prices even cheaper, should you choose to sell.

We're doing it instead as a rental product that we plan to own and uh maintain, but should there be an opportunity to partner either with uh in this case new homes, which is building in Dixon this exact project, or another builder, that would then uh tell them here this prototype works, and we were able to get this approved in multiple jurisdictions.

I should mention, and I don't know if it was in the staff report, but this project is actually in construction in Dixon.

We just broke around in West Sack.

We have an approval for Folsom.

We plan to break break around next year, and we are going to planning commission in Fairfield.

So you're amongst company, and we think that this product is actually gonna be uh a very needed piece of the housing market, something that you don't typically see and duplex is slightly uh in a different way, so right.

So would there I'm just trying to imagine how this might look like so it's gonna start off as a rental product and then from there would tenants be given the option to kind of enter into some sort of rent-to-own type of contract or not in this case.

If we maintain and operate it, we're gonna operate it as one of the Lewis portfolio.

Should we ever get to a place where from a portfolio standpoint we decide that this is a good option for us to then move them into a condo market?

We would take the whole thing, do that activate that condo mapping, and ultimately move it forward that way as a fully for sale product.

Got it.

And what are you currently seeing right now?

I mean, there's not a lot of for sale duplexes right in the market, like but what are you seeing right now as far as market prices for for tuplexes?

Sure, it's uh as you you just noted it's all over the map.

Um, what we're hoping is that we can refine this product enough that we can start to see products in the 556 number.

Um, the idea ultimately that from a price point um ultimately meets a market that can't be addressed right now, the missing middle.

Um so that would be our intention is to keep refining this product till we get to that point.

Um the irony is we've already come in with a yet another duplex product that has a bedroom down that we're actually experimenting with over in the city of Dixon.

Hope to bring that here as well.

Um, but as we move forward again, the intention would be to target right there at that 120 AMI, which is really truly that missing middle.

Thank you.

Of course.

I'm sort of curious for the planning staff.

I mean, when this product was introduced to the the team.

I don't know what, because I I'm trying to recall, and I don't know if there's any kind of product like this at this type of scale in the city.

And so I'm I'm almost thinking this is kind of uh one of a kind kind of trailblazing type of development um for the for the city.

Any thoughts on that?

Not at this scale, no.

We do see duplex development in midtown.

Yeah.

Certainly not as an entire complex.

Yeah.

Yeah, I just wanted to bring that up, right?

Because you know, for sale home ownership was one of the issues that we've talked about on the dais, and you know, we have a developer here who's um looking to see what the market response will be and seeing if there's a need that to can be served.

And um I just want to commend the planning staff for uh working with the applicant to see how this thing goes, right?

I mean, I think it's it's well designed, it's integrated in the community, and so um, so with that I'm I don't know if there are any other comments, but I'd like to just put this, uh put this to a vote.

All right, let's go with the roll call.

Thank you very much.

Thank you, Chair.

Members, please unmute your microphones.

Commissioner Lee.

Commissioner Tao.

Aye, Commissioner Lamas, aye.

Commissioner Nybo.

Aye.

Commissioner Caden.

Aye.

Commissioner Hernandez.

Aye, Commissioner Macius Reed.

Aye.

Commissioner Ortiz.

Aye.

Commissioner Blunt.

Aye.

Vice Chair Chase.

Aye.

Commissioner Reschke is absent.

Commissioner Thompson?

Aye.

And Chair Young.

Aye.

Thank you.

The motion passes.

Thank you.

All right.

We're gonna move back to item two.

And I think Commissioner Naibo, I think we've already gone through the recusal, so I think he's gonna step out to this one.

The rail yard special sign district initiation, M25-005.

Alright, I think we're ready for you, Matthew.

Excellent.

Thanks to the clerk's office uh first and foremost.

Hopefully that's the only wrinkle on tonight's presentation.

So I'm gonna do my best to make sure everything else is running smooth here.

Um so good evening, Chair Young Commissioners.

Um my name is Matt Seitz.

I'm senior architect uh with community development.

Um I go over this evening does uh sign district for you.

Um on April 8th of 2025, uh, city council passed a motion directing the interim city manager or their designee, uh, which just happens to be us, um, to prepare an ordinance for the city uh for council rule uh consideration to establish a rail yard special sign district.

Um this proposed district would be permit would permit among other elements, the use of digital billboards consistent uh with the procedures outlined in the city code uh section 15.148 and the council rules of procedure.

Uh to implement this directive, staff's been directed or is requesting that the planning and design commission initiate the process required under city code section 15148 uh.940 by adopting a resolution recommending um that the city council designate the rail yard special planning district as uh a special signed district.

Once the commission adopts the resolution, uh staff will begin drafting the ordinance for council consideration.

Um additionally to this on June 10th, um just a month and a half uh the city council approved the definitive legal documents um identified in the term sheet for the development of both the new soccer stadium with the SAT Republic FC, as well as the historic um central Shops live entertainment venue and the associated rail yard infrastructure project.

As part of that term sheet.

Uh the city committed to bringing forward proposed amendments to the city code to create this rail yard special sign district and provide allowances for that limited digital signage.

Signage is a critical component of the financial feasibility and successful delivery of these projects within the rail yard special planning district.

So tonight, staff is seeking commission's recommendation on the following key items.

The first is establishing the boundaries of the proposed rail yard special sign district.

The second is defining boundaries of the five sub-districts.

And number three is the allowance of the five proposed off-site general advertising digital billboards within subdistrict three.

Some of you may have heard through council presentations regarding indomitables, freeway digital signs.

That is not part of this discussion, nor is it part of the special signed district.

So moving to get you to the vicinity map here.

So as you guys can see, Sacramento rail yard specific plan is also overlaid by the special planning district.

The preliminary boundary is going to be outlined here in the dark dashed line.

And it matches the special planning district in entirety.

Staff recommends the creation of the five sub-districts, as you can see up here, with boundaries to provide flexibility regarding the signage type placement and the timing of those signs.

Also referred to as time place and manner.

This strategy will allow each subdistrict to follow independent timelines and requirements as all of these move forward.

That'll minimize the disruption of the development schedules for these projects within each of the subdistricts.

So the five subdistricts as shown above, and I'll start with the purple area first.

Subdistrict 2 is the historic shop that's in green.

Subdistrict 3 are the DRV owned properties, and that's the beige color.

Subdistrict 4 is in the red, that's the indomitable owned properties, and then subdistrict 5, which is the Kaiser owned properties.

So currently the term sheet doesn't include the ISA.

That's already, that's already gone through.

I think you guys saw that several months back.

So Subdistrict 3.

The five digital billboards for DRV, that's inclusionary in this, and that's one of the one of the prime components of subdistrict three.

It helps kind of reinforce the financial component of DRV and their ability to build out the rest of that sub-district.

What I'll show you here.

As for um the balance of this, we're asking for uh respectfully uh requesting uh that the commission by two-thirds vote of the members uh here adopt a resolution recommending to City Council uh designate the rail yard special planning district as a special sign district, uh which among the other provision provisions would allow for these digital signs uh within the new newly established district.

Thank you for your consideration.

I'm here to answer questions, and I'm sure there's plenty uh on this because it is signage.

Thank you.

Um are there any speaker slips for this item?

Thank you, Chair.

I have no speaker slips on this item.

Any questions from the commission?

Comments, motions.

Sorry, let me get out of this.

Vice Chair Chase.

Thank you.

Um, you mentioned for the signs.

Are those signs to be for wayfinding only, or are they available for advertising and a revenue?

So they are open for general advertising for hire.

So both standard billboard as well as um wayfinding components into and out of uh the district.

Mostly in two, because we want to we want to bring folks into the space.

All right, thanks.

Thank you, Chair.

Commissioner Blunt.

So am I understanding this correctly that to for the rail yards project to go forward and for like all of the hand wrangling that's that's happened over this um, you know, the future of our city, right?

I mean, this is a big deal.

Um it's like it's writing on signs.

I wouldn't I wouldn't say specifically it's running on signs, um, is one component of of the overall district.

Um this is an important component because we um as staff has looked at the entire the district as a whole, so I'll go back one page here.

Each one of these subdistricts, they have their own, they have their own goals.

And currently, current sign regulations don't allow for them to achieve some of those goals.

And again, some of this is very nuanced.

Um they haven't completely vetted out what they expect in each one of these districts, and knowing this is all handled by the C3 zone, um, the special sign district will allow for specific, you know, I'll use for an example like a wayfinding device.

So down at the street level, I know um you may have seen around the city a couple of the I don't know about five foot high wayfinding devices, they're like a two by two pole, four by four poll that kind of points out memorial auditorium, etc.

So it will it will give them the ability to look at those things much like we did with the entertainment and sports center, uh the G1C location.

We wrote a special sign district for there because those signs were never allowed before, and so we have that there and we see this as another uh entertainment you know oriented location, with some exceptions.

The hospital not so much, um, but certainly around the stadium, there's gonna be a want and a desire by the by Indomitable to bring more signage in.

Same thing goes for uh historic shops.

Um again, these are all gonna run on their own timelines, they're all gonna have their own specialties.

So we're asking for uh the ability to create sign district itself boundaries, blocking out sub-districts, and then we will eventually go through and build out each one of these sub-districts.

Cool.

Well, thank you for um playing that out, and I'm I I apologize if I came off as glib.

Um, but it's just it's okay, it's signage.

Right, yeah, yeah, totally.

Um, so just from a personal standpoint, um, you know, I don't want to do anything that's uh gonna compromise the rail yards.

Um I will say though, I've lived in other cities, um, I'm not gonna name them, not that they would take offense, but uh where there's been billboards on top of billboards on top of billboards, as far as the eye can see, and it's awful.

And I do not want to see that happen here.

Um, and I my concern with this is that this is you know, setting a precedent where that could wind up becoming the case.

Um, that this is specific to this project, and that as you're describing, it's trying to tell people where Gate C is at the soccer stadium, as well as you know, advertising the next Marvel movie.

Um I I can live with that, right?

Um, but I do want to say, like going forward, I don't know how much support I'm going to be able to provide more billboards.

So with that, I I have a motion to um pass this thing.

Commissioner Lamas.

Thank you, Chair.

I said Naibo.

So, I know I don't know where I'm assigned to.

Yeah, maybe over here.

Um thank you for the presentation.

Also just had some clarifying questions.

Um, so just to confirm what we're being asked, um, partly what we're being asked to do is to establish this special signage district.

Um, and it sounds like there's already some coordination as to um how these five districts can operate based on the needs that they have, but um, but by us formalizing the creation of the special district and these subdistricts, they can move forward on what they want to do specifically within those areas because what I'm hearing because because it sounds like those needs depend a lot, depending on where they're at in this district.

Um, so is that fair to say that we're creating the the district, creating the sub-districts, and once that happens, they will then move forward to establish the minimum requirements on what can be allowed within those special subdistricts.

That's correct.

So it's it's gonna be broken up over time because each each project has its own schedule.

So by us breaking this up into the five subdistricts, that allows that gives us time to go and work with the applicants because Indomino doesn't quite know yet what they want within their district.

So that gives us time to work with them on that timeline.

We we will not be building out the entire the entire sign code specifically for the special sign district after this is done.

Well, not immediately, but over time.

It'll be fractional, um, just like each one of these districts are a fraction of the overall district.

Is that an answer?

That thank you for that clarification.

I do I am kind of curious how they will overlap, and I think to um my fellow commissioner here um Blunt, that um I imagine we want it to they we want them to be cohesive, right?

So that weren't one's area is not super bright um gets those approvals and then the other areas get really bright signage and it then you just have a really bright area, you know, there I imagine there is some consideration I imagine for how the overall district is going to establish um their minimum requirements, even if one is being built out, you know, sequentially, you know, towards the next.

That is that fair to say that there will be like an over overriding kind of guidance as to the plan for the special district in terms of signage, even if just one is being built out at a time.

It's um I believe, you know, both Bruce and myself were pretty dedicated to this and signage is such a tricky thing.

Um in working with our attorneys um to make sure that we find a balance within this overall you know burgeoning area, right?

It's hopefully part of this will help hit to explode.

However, things like lighting, um, we've already got um industry standards that we'll be placing into this that we won't have an oversaturation of light.

We won't have to worry about glare.

Uh we're gonna be very cognizant of that as we write the ordinance.

So right now, this is just the defined boundaries, and I think to Commissioner Blunt's, you know, concern about the number of digitals, the what we're requesting right now is just the ability to put digitals within uh subdistrict three.

So and that's limited to five.

So that provides a little balance, uh in all of this, and we still need to understand uh what the stadium will need, although they can work under a completely separate uh sign uh portion of the sign code specifically for the building itself.

Okay, thank you.

Legal council wants to provide a clarification.

So I just want to confirm tonight, they're just being asked to establish the outer boundary, not the individual subdistricts.

This is just a procedural step.

In April, the council asks staff to establish a sign district, and this is the first step under our city code that they must do, come to the planning commission to initiate the start of that process.

So today is just the outer boundary, and then staff will have the freedom to begin working on it, and it looks like this is their first draft of the subdistricts, and you're gonna go from there, but tonight you're just being asked to establish the outer boundary.

So we're actually here for both the entire boundary as well as the boundaries of the five sub-districts, as defined uh in the exhibits, and those are literally just the borders.

The codes will come later, but it's the borders that we're working towards this evening, based off of what council's recommendation was direction, I should say.

Sorry, I go ahead.

We're thinking I don't think it's the end of the world if we establish.

I believe I believe you're just doing the outer boundary today, should I take a five-minute recess for you guys to converse?

Would that help?

I'd be okay with that.

Okay, let's do a five-minute recess.

Second recess of the evening, thank you.

Five minutes.

Staff, can we get 30 seconds on the clock and start our restart our live video stream?

We're back.

Um I think we're gonna get some clarification on um what the approval will will be for.

So I think Courtney's got some something for us.

Okay, so if the commission again, it's a procedural step, you're initiating the sign district tonight.

So if you want to do that, and you want to include the sub-districts, we need to amend the resolution.

So I will read language that if someone likes it, they can make a motion.

So in lieu of the language that's currently there, hold on.

Let me just pull it up so I have it in front of me.

Okay, section one of the resolution.

We're gonna delete that, and it would now say the planning and design commission recommends to the city council that the rail yard special planning district be designated as a special sign district with five sub-districts as shown in exhibit A.

Exhibit A will now be what's currently attachment three to the staff report, which is the map and the which includes the subdistricts, and that's what you would be approving, just that map tonight.

Right.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Do we have a motion?

Do we want to make that motion now?

I will make that we already have a question.

Oh, so we need to put that.

Do we need to reneg on like pull that other original motion?

Do you want to make it a friendly amendment?

A friendly amendment.

Sounds great.

Okay.

Do you have a second to you have a second?

Second to sound great.

We don't.

I'll second that.

The amended.

Appreciate you.

Thank you.

Yep.

All right.

We're good.

Shall we proceed?

Yeah.

I just want to just for clarification, please.

Because I I know that you've mentioned Matthew on earlier in your presentation that you had mentioned something about the five locations in sub-district five.

Subdistrict three.

Now, three.

Yes.

Now is that have anything to do with tonight's motion, or is that off the table at this point?

Off the table.

It's just about the boundary maps.

Just wanted to clarify that.

Okay.

Thank you.

All right.

Let's proceed forward with the discussion.

Commissioner Thompson.

I'll make it quick.

And it's not a question, actually, it was more just a comment.

Because I was gonna second, but we already did that.

So within the sign district, uh, and I think as a special sign district, this is a fantastic opportunity.

Uh this is such a an upcoming vibrant potential space.

So I think doing something like this is is well aligned.

Uh, and I also see a lot of alignment with SAC Benos art community, and I know it was mentioned in the staff report that this has a potential and as a recommendation as this moves forward across the five districts that we're talking about that that we uh align something about art within each of these districts in utilizing these signs that are obviously for advertising purposes, but also maybe is there a way to ensure that there's art in it as well?

That's all I have.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Commissioner Ortiz Commissioner Reed.

You're good, okay.

Commissioner Lamas, is that you?

Okay.

Thank you, Chair.

Um, just uh had some clear additional clarifying questions.

Um, and part of that was our already kind of um asked about the the five billboards, but it sounds like um we're not voting on those.

Um the five billboards that were shown were just proposed locations for what um maybe will be forward at some point.

Um curious um what would that process look like if the this special district would be um created?

Um would the special districts um provide the oversight for the approvals of those billboards?

Would they come to the planning commission?

Would they go to the city?

Can you talk a little bit more administratively of what as to what that would look like?

So currently with the ESC, um all digital signs go through uh the design review director, i.e.

uh the urban design manager.

Um that comes in not at a staff level but at a director level.

Um we're going to have the discussion as to what level it continues to be as we continue building out the sign the sign code itself for this area.

Okay, thank you for that clarification.

That helps, and um I do see the benefit of having a special signed district that tries to encompass the the signage needs of of the broader area and to try to keep them all aligned as you mentioned and and meeting um state standards and our local um standards once those are have been finalized and approved is um or established.

So um with that um that's all the questions I have and I yield my time.

Thank you, Courtney.

One more, I'd uh I'd like to request a friendly amendment to Commissioner Blunt and Ortiz's motion.

If we could add to the resolution a table of contents, which is standard, and the attachment will be the map, it's just a administrative clerical thing we need to add to the resolution.

Thank you.

All right.

Any other questions?

One moment, I believe your microphone was off.

If you could say that into the last mic.

Thank you.

Yes.

Thank you.

Um I just have a couple quick clarifying questions.

So uh what went into the rationale of those specific districts and how they were shaped.

Could you maybe just fill us in a little bit on that?

So the overall composition of the districts are are namely built by landownership currently.

So, of course, the blue, that is Kaiser's location.

Uh the red area is now currently in Dominables.

Uh, the purple area uh down there, that's Sack Valley Station.

That's all properties within that, and then the green area number two, that's the uh historic central shops location.

Um everything else are uh existing uh DRV owned properties, and it felt um appropriate to break these up based off of the connectivity between different locations, uh, where we could allow specific signs and how it complemented the experience as as we're looking forward in the you know into the future build outside.

Um I'm not I wasn't too familiar.

I I understand there's a revenue sharing piece to this as far as with the the signage plan.

There's no revenue sharing uh with us.

This is very similar to what the ESC uh has in place.

Um all the billboards all digital uh within that area that is wholly um owned by the the ownership group um that oversees it the I guess they have the sign management district.

So the city does not get a component of this.

Okay, got it.

Thank you.

All right, we have a motion and a second.

Uh will the clerk make the roll call.

Thank you, Chair members.

Please unmute your microphones, Commissioner Lee?

I.

Commissioner Tao.

Aye.

Commissioner Lamas, aye.

Commissioner Nybo has recused from this item.

Uh Commissioner Caden.

Aye.

Commissioner Hernandez.

Aye.

Commissioner Macius Reed.

Aye.

Commissioner Ortiz.

Aye.

Commissioner Blunt.

Aye.

Vice Chair Chase.

Aye.

Commissioner Reschke is absent.

Commissioner Thompson.

Aye.

And Chair Young.

Aye.

Thank you.

The motion passes by two-thirds vote.

Thank you.

Clerk, are there any members of the public who wish to speak on public comments?

Not matters not on the agenda.

As this is a special meeting, we have no public comment for matters not on the agenda.

Thank you.

Any commissioner comments, ideas, questions?

Vice Chair Chase.

Thank you, sir.

Uh, just to I had a quick thought as we were going through this of potential Cohen Brothers movie, uh, five billboards in Sacramento.

All right.

I yield.

All right, thank you.

Anyone else?

Alright, thank you.

Meeting adjourned.

So, yeah.